Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-03-17
THE FREE PEACH BASKETS
TIE FRUITLAND GRANGE ADOPTs
RESOLUTIONS
The New Work. MN sesuse To Wake
deposits tOr 8r~hets -H'he Plan oR 4
the DesIe,s Condemned.

/ the New lOtk Is iArd nf lrt1. on Tues
! day did not go to a.IIiin yeaterdsy as
] anticipated, the action Of fhe commission
men in declaring for freq baskets having
| practically settled the matter and rem
ttered the journey to the Hub" unneees-
! sary.
One of the delegation who returned
yesterday stated this morning that they
found the exchange united and Arm in
| tine decision 10 not make any de-
| posts for baskets, and that while
the latter listened to the state
ments of the growers 1t was evident
from the outset that the commission men
were flrm in the ssand for free receptaoles.
They were unable TO get away from this
position from the fact the Grocers' Asso-
citation, well organized trade body,
Of over 800 leading grocers n New York
bad, in a formal petition andEommnnica-
ton TO the exchange stated that they
/ were MN IN their detersrinaiion 3. -
handle peaches at all If they were obliged
10 make deposits for baskets. The senti-
ment of receivers outside OF New York
which found expression through repre-
sens.tllsrs in the exchange aas also op4
posed to returning OF allowing for basksss.
The growers discerning the impossi-
bility TO defeat the "free basket scheme
made an effort to have its provisions sue-
pended until next year, owing to the dif-
| hculty which would be experienced in
procuring baskets enough to market the
coming crop, but the commission men
would make no concessions, demanding
that the new project should go into ope-
ration the present season.
One of the delegation in urging his
point said there might be an exchange
started by growers In New York where
the fruit could be sold direct to the retail
dealers. This, however, il was argued,
would not enable growers 10 exact de-
posit for baskets, as long as the grocers
refused to handle peaches without the re-
| ceptacles were thrown in and without
charge. Some of the growers who
realize the utter helplessness Of
their positions with respect TO the
receivers favor general association
of growers of the Peninsula and each
member pledging himself not to ship a
basket of peaches unless sold outright.
| This would make the produce men re-
sponsible for freightage, carriage, 30.
Several Of the New Workers expressed q
| decided preference for buying the fruit
in the orchards, they running risks, &c.
WYOMING, March 14.--The subject Of
free peach baskets, has been the absorb
ing topic among the peach growers Of
| Wyoming and vicinity, ever since the
| first intimation by the commission men
of New York and Boston that they would
not return baskets in the future, or pay
for them. Their indignation, however,
was only fully aroused to prompt and
decisive action, upon hearing the reports
of the meeting Of growers and dealers In
New York on Tuesday last. The follow
ing resolutions which were adopted
OF a meeting of Fruitlsnd grange ON Sat
urday speak in tone that cannot be
| misunderstood.
The members of this grange comprise
over tbree-fourths of the growers in this
locality, and il must be remembered that
the support of these same growers Ia
what gave life and success to the fruit
exchange established here q few years
ago, and the success that has attended
their efforts in the exchange has only in
creased their earnestness Of purpose and
unanimity Of action in whatever way they
think their interests would be beet fur
thered. The following are the tesolu-
tions adopted
WHEREAS, The produce commission mer-
/ ternined not TO pe responsible for the re-
turn Of empty peach baskets in the future.
\ and
WHEREAS, This action on the part of the
fruit dealers OF those cities, IL enforced,
| will impose greater burden on the fruit in
dustry and reduce the profits still more on
| this already overburdened product, as 1t Is
| now almost reduced to the point of unprof-
| itableness by excessive freight charges, ex-
| orbitant commissions, carriage, handling.
| &C., therefore
Resolued, That we, representing the fruit
shippers of Wyoming--the largest fruit
| shipping station on the delaware Peninsula
| hereby express our indignation at this
gross and unblushing imposition forced
upon the growers Of fruit.
ResolUed, That this action Is unwarrnnt-
able, unjustihable, illegal, fraudulent in Its
provisions, and merits the uncompromising
condemnation Of every fruit grower.
Resoloed, That we hereby Withdraw our
consignments from all commission dselars
| IN these cities who refuse to return all
empty packages promptly or pay for them.
Resoipsd, That we will now, more than
ever. exert every effort to have cash buyers
come 10 our station and deal direct with
| growers.
| Resoyusd, That a committee OF five be ap-
pointed to consider the feasibility OF estab-
| fishing salesrooms in New York and Boston
under our own supervision and manage
ment to receive and sell all fruit that cannot
be sold here, and that would be to our
| advantage to consign to these markets.
| RESOLVED, That copies OF this action be-
| forwarded to the New York and Boston pro-
| duce exchanges, and also offered to the
press of the Peninsula for publication.
| Resolued, That the corporation OF fruit
growers of other stations be requested IN
this matter.
Editor GdEtiie and journal: The act of the
fruit commission merchants Of New York
| City pnssiug IA resolution at a late meeting
held In this city to sell baskets with peaches
| Is by some growers considered an arbitrary
one and one that should not have been
taken without consulting them, but when
| they are informed of certain facts 10 con-
nection with the business they will not
wonder at tho merchants action. In the
first place we have in our city an organiza-
tion known as the Grocers' Union. This
society embraces all the leading grocera OF
| our city, Brooklyn, and the adjoin-
ing towns within a circle OF as
miles, and numbers. perhaps 10000
members, These are the ones that the
dealers depend upon to whom to sell the
hulk vi the better qualities OF peGehes that
they receive. For years these men have
had many unpleasant experiences in regard
| to returning the peach baskets and reoelv-
Ing their deposits on them. At q me- citing
held in their hail on October 2Ist, 1886, this
| sunJeSt was uiScus5bu IN i0ll, anu u reSOiu-
| ton was passed 'That for the future We
will leave no deposit on peach baskets Ia
addition to this action those who purchase
| peaches to ship out of the city have come
to the same decision, 'for," said one OF
these men, "at the close Of the season our
| profits are absorbed by the deposits left on
| the baskets, and for which the receivers re-
fuse TO refund them on the plea thar the
baskets offered are not the ones that they
sold them" In fact the returning and re-
deeming Of the baskets have been a source
OF contention and strife between these par
ties, and each was anxious to do away with
the cause.
Again 1t is the rule among the trade to pay
the shippers for all the baskets they lose.
The shippers insist that the loss shall be
counted at the depot from whence they were
shipped, and the merchant having delivered
them TO the transportation company that
brought them, their responsibility ends, and
for all deficiencies up TO this point they will
pay the vaiue OF them. But as rule the
shippers demand more for their old lost
baskets, some of which have been used fol
years, than they can buy new ones for tc
replace them.
l learn this season some Of the large ship.
pers In Delaware are demanding eight cent
each for the deficiency, although they car
now buy new ones for five cents each, A.
a rule the New Jersey shippers demand II
cents for each basket and cover, although
they can be replaced new for 81 cents each
And few Jerseymen have had the cheel
to demand 10 cents each for deficiencies
accompanied with this threat: ssIf vol
don't pay me that price wont ship to you.
few Delaware peach growers were y
Discriminate to have cake and penny too tim
, they arrested several New York merchant
while in their State on business who xyo,,l,